A more serious group of seniors than those in The Thursday Murder Club series. It’s refreshing to see that one is not considered mentally incompetent just because they are 60+. Every thing I like in a thriller book is here. Likable characters and a plot that keeps moving. I would be open to this being a series. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A pitch-perfect spy thriller - so well-written, evocative, and gripping that this reader could literally not put it down. (My first by this very prolific author, and I cannot wait to read more).

The epitome of “spook” fiction - with all the undercover terror, subterfuge, violence, duplicity, and psychopathy one would expect - think John Le Carre, but with spies made more homey, emotionally-relatable and reader accessible. For these spies are like us, (sort of),in that they are real people in their sixties and seventies, Americans, retired, living in bucolic northern Maine - and the kind of folks who could very well be your neighbors.

“Five old spies with five lifetimes worth of experience”, - our main protagonists are drawn together by a shared past with the “Agency”, and a now redirected future whose predictability can no longer be assumed.

Maggie Bird, (aka Margaret Porter), our first-person POV narrator, at sixty years old, is the youngest of the group and the true star of this story - an aging, battle-scarred, action-oriented woman, still grieving a past burdened with dark secrets the reader will gradually come to understand. Maggie is the kind of woman - unassuming, straightforward, potentially deadly - you would want to have firmly in your camp, no matter the quandary. Yet Maggie is also fallible, vulnerable, (emotionally and physically) and is clearly suffering deeply from some buried and now re-emerging trauma. It is these characteristics that make the reader fear for her, (fear with her), as she encounters a shadowy enemy from her past and the first (of many) new and horrific murders.

As Maggie becomes a victim of an old plot, resurfaced, it will take the entire team (the help of Maggie’s incredibly competent old-time colleagues, along with a solid effort from the wonderfully earnest acting-Police-Chief Jo Thibodeau) to figure out what is happening and help Maggie emerge unscathed. (Or at least, only somewhat scathed).

As Maggie’s story unfolds across timelines, past and present, and locations spanning Maine, Turkey, Malta, Bangkok and London, a fast-paced and very visceral journey, with terror and twists (and including a heart-tugging love story, ) ensues, laying down a track of pure tension that does not let up until the final dramatic (and very satisfying) ending.

With characters and a literary setup this wonderful, what a joy to see this is to be the first in a series.

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of the book. All thoughts presented are my own.

Fabulous new spy thriller set in a small coastal town in Maine. Multiple points-of-view and a dual timeline kept me engaged - I binged this book in two days. Book 2 comes out in March 2025, and if the author and publisher could speed up that timeline, that would be helpful, thank you very much.

I had read a few of Tess Gerritsen’s books early in her career. I’m not sure why I didn’t continue, unless it was due to other shiny books attracting me. But wow! I’m so glad I got to read this one!

The idea of Maggie and her friends retiring to a small town in Maine after their careers working for Uncle Sam is interesting, and so is the author’s explanation that this is a real occurrence in her own Maine town. The way the writer moved the story back and forth in time was so effective, and Maggie gave us just enough information to wonder (and also hope) about what the final outcome might be. I loved the descriptions of Turkey and Bangkok! It never occurred to me that the former might be beautiful, but she made it come alive in my mind.

The characters of Bella and Callie were used in the best way, to allow us to get to know more about Maggie and see her softer side. I’m wondering if the door is left open for another story about The Martini Club? even for one or two of the others? Only the writer knows.

Bravo to Ms Gerritsen for a winner! My thanks to the author, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book. My review is voluntary.

I love tess books and have read most of her previous ones. I think this is gonna make a very good series. Especially with a few characters that are hiding who they really are even though they help each other out in the book club lol due to there past careers. Can not wait for more to come from this series. Such a good read.

I received this book from netgalley for an honest review.

I have enjoyed other books by Tess Gerritsen so when I got approved for this book I was excited. It was quite different to her usual thrillers. I still enjoyed it though. It was a little bit confusing with flipping back from past and present but that's a personal preference really. I would definitely carry on with the series.

4 stars

When a body appears in the driveway of a CIA retiree in small-town Maine, former operative Maggie Bird and her fellow former spies join forces to solve the murder while trying to stay out of the way of the local police's investigation.

The Maine setting is evocative, the writing is excellent, and the storyline intriguing in this mystery book that I'd describe as The Thursday Murder Club meets Killers of a Certain Age. The characters are interesting and the plot fresh enough to keep the reader turning the pages. Recommended for all mystery readers

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love anything by Tess Gerritsen and this was no exception.

Maggie Bird is an ex-operative who has retired to a seaside coast amongst other retired government employees.
She is leading a quiet live until a woman shows up at her door asking questions about an operative that she worked with many years ago. This operative has disappeared with no trace in connection to a past mission. Maggie denies any knowledge of her whereabouts and is not interested in helping to find her. Later, the woman that showed up at her home is found dead in her driveway while Maggie is having dinner with her friends. Suddenly Maggie finds herself thrust back into her previous life as a spy and must determine why her past is coming back to haunt her.

Great story with lots of excitement and action. There isn't anything that I didn't love about this book.

Fans of Thursday Murder Club can rejoice as we have another club of elderly retirees, settled in a small village of Purity, Maine whose past catches up with their present life. I liked reading about the Martini Club but missed the dry humor of Joyce and the charm of Cooper Chase retirement homes . Still the book packs a good story told at a pace that never allows the reader to get bored. The plot twists left me at tenterhooks, guessing if a particular character is on the good or evil side till the end.

Maggie Bird at 60, is a very content woman, settled in Purity, Maine and looking after her chicken farm and having a close circle of friends. But her past as a CIA spy gets caught in her present, when a blowback from her last operation in Malta, sixteen years back, threatens her idyllic present life. Along with Maggie, her friends, also retired CIA operatives and settled in the same village as Maggie, get involved in the case. So its up to a bunch of old spies who are rather eager to have another go at action and adventure to find out who wants Maggie dead. There's also a local, dogged, police chief, Jo Thibodeau who is not only left baffled by the investigation but also by this elderly group who seem to be always one step ahead of her in the case. She knows that they are not an ordinary bunch of retirees but she didn't have much action in the plot. It'd be interesting how her character grows in the future books.

I am already excited to the read the next installment in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book.

This was a very enjoyable read, full of twists and turns. This is the start of a new series featuring ex spy Maggie Bird. Maggie has retired to a quiet part of Maine where she runs a farm . It is a tight community with a few residents who also happen to be ex spies . Then something happens to bring back the past and suddenly Maggie’s life is in danger and we delve into the past. We find out about Maggie’s last assignment that resulting in her retirement and the loss of her husband. What follows is a lot of action and shooting , lots of travelling to different locations like Bangkok and Milan. We also meet the local cop Jo who has her own story to tell and basically doesn’t have a clue what’s going on. I found it an enjoyable adventure read with good characters and will definitely read the next one .

I've been a longtime fan of Tess Gerritsen, and this is a wonderful new series and direction from her. Retired spies are such an interesting focus in fiction- they've lived unbelievable lives, and have certain skills and knowledge that sets them apart. Maggie and her group are excellent characters, and I thought Maggie's backstory was fascinating. Tightly paced, and while I think the author's fans will find this a great read, I think this is a wonderful book to win new readers with as well.

This was a really good book! I enjoyed how thrilling and exciting it was! I thought it was well rounded and well written.

this book was captavating and thrilling. run to go buy it, it wont disappoint. book club read for sure

Tess Gerritsen's "The Spy Coast" is a literary triumph, marrying a riveting storyline with the author's exceptional writing prowess. The narrative unfurls like a tightly wound espionage thriller, blending intricate plot twists with Gerritsen's trademark flair for character depth. The protagonist, navigating the shadowy world of spies, is a compelling force, and Gerritsen deftly crafts a web of suspense that keeps readers captivated until the last page. Gerritsen's writing is a sublime dance of eloquence and precision, elevating the espionage genre with her evocative prose. "The Spy Coast" is a spellbinding journey into secrecy, where every word resonates with brilliance and intrigue.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who loves a thriller.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity.

Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer and Tess Gerritsen for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The Spy Coast. It was a very entertaining, intriguing and unique story.

I loved Maggie, she was relatable, mysterious and smart.
The storyline was unlike anything I've read before, the writing was excellent and the characters had real heart and strength.
I've read and loved most of Tess Gerritsen's books and this is up there with her Rizzoli and Isles series.

I highly recommend and I look forward to seeing what Tess comes up with next.

4 Stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my first Tess Gerritsen book and it definitely won’t be my last! This is the first book in a series and it sets up the series perfectly. Much of this book is in the past recalling a case that has found Maggie again. I loved the characters (you forget they are retired the way they act!). I highly recommend this book if you love spy thrillers with a personal story attached. This is a book you will want to read before the next book so read it now!

Maggie is a retired CIA agent living in rural Maine when a young woman shows up looking for another agent. When the same young woman is dumped in front of her home and then Maggie becomes the target of a shooter on her property she's forced to face her past. Also living in the same town are other retired former agents and friends who help her solve this mystery. I loved all these "retired" agents who use intelligence and experience - I can't wait for the next installment.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this awesome book

a retired town for spies who would have thought that was a thing

maggie bird has come to purity maine to finally settle down after years of wandering, she is security conscious and keeping a low profile but it doesnt help when a body of a woman is found on her driveway, murdered with two taps to the head

she is suddenly in the spotlight and when someone tries to kill her days later she knows that her past is fast catching up with her but who or why

oh man this book, where it leads and the whys it keeps you reading and guessing right to the end and its never disappointing, couldnt get enough of this book and the explanation from the author at the end wow just wow

‘It’s the perfect place to retire … until they find you’ - cover tag line.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Spy Coast’ by Tess Gerritsen.

This is the first book in the Martini Club, a new series about a group of retired CIA operatives who have moved to the seaside village of Purity in Maine. They meet regularly under the pretext of a book group.

After years of active service Maggie Bird now lives quietly on her chicken farm. She had taken early retirement following a mission that went tragically wrong. She returns from a meeting of the Martini Club to find the police at her property. The body of a woman has been dumped on her driveway. Maggie is convinced that it’s a message from former foes.

She reaches out to her local circle of fellow CIA retirees to investigate. Complicating their efforts is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau. She is puzzled by the Martini Club, who seem to be a step ahead of her at every turn.

Aside from chapters set in the present day, other chapters return to earlier times in Maggie’s globe spanning clandestine career in order to discover why the ghosts of her past have returned.

I have been a great admirer of Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli and Isles series and so was very pleased that she was writing a new series with spies. This proved a strong start and established its key characters. As with all of her novels, the plot and pacing were good.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘The Spy Coast’ very much and look forward to future outings for the Martini Club.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

This is the most fun I've had reading a crime novel for ages! There was just something magical about this cast of characters - a group of former-CIA agents who have all retired to the town of Purity in Maine for a relaxing retirement. Obviously this doesn't go to plan and the gang have to put their heads together to solve a murder after a body is dumped on Maggie Bird's driveway. I really felt like this was the perfect mix of thriller and cosy crime - Operation Cyrano and the spy elements of the story were intense and kept my interest the whole way through, while at the same time, I got completely wrapped up in the relationships between the members of The Martini Club. Fingers crossed for a sequel!